Healing for Pastors in Maridi

Last week we facilitated a Healing Hearts, Transforming Nations (HHTN) workshop in Maridi, a town in the southwest region of South Sudan. The unique thing about this workshop was that the participants were nearly 100 pastors and their spouses, all of them from the Anglican Church in the diocese of Maridi. The Anglican Bishop in Maridi had called all of his pastors together for an annual retreat. In a serendipitous encounter while he was visiting Juba, he learned about the HHTN workshop, and Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) was able to organize a workshop with less than two weeks notice to be done at this retreat.

The Bishop and leadership in Maridi with our team when we arrived

Bishop Moses shared with us when we arrived that his vision was to focus on 1 Peter 2:9 and our identity as God’s people. He said that he was seeing many pastors in his diocese whose lives did not reflect the identity and transformation of Christ. Alchoholism, adultery, domestic conflicts, and witchcraft were among the top challenges he saw. He recognized that many of his pastors had endured the trauma of war and the ongoing trauma of poverty and that the unhealed trauma had opened the door for these destructive practices in the lives of his pastors that limited their effectiveness to minister to others.

A full church for the workshop!

Usually when we do the HHTN workshop we limit it to 40 or 50 participants so that there can be discussion and active engagement for everyone. This time had to make several modifications, particularly in the activities and discussion, given that we had nearly 180 participants. But God helped us to still be able to have good interaction and discussion and people shared that they found it meaningful and helpful.

women share their pain and pray together in pairs

The time of giving over pain to the cross was especially meaningful. Since all the participants were pastors or spouses of pastors, part of their ministry is listening and supporting others through challenges. But they often do not have someone that they can go to and share their struggles with. After they had written down pain or struggles that they wanted to give over to God, they divided into pairs to share and pray together. I walked around the church and observed the pairs sharing under trees or in the grass, and I could sense the sacredness of the time in the intensity of the prayers and the delay in coming back together. Back in the larger group, each person had an opportunity to lay their paper at the cross, representing giving over their burdens and pain to Jesus.

Burning the papers, representing giving over our pain to God

The following morning, we heard from several people who expressed how God had worked through that time. One older male pastor said that he has suffered from body pain. “But yesterday you said, ‘open your heart and let God work.’ And I did that. I felt God bring healing. Now my body feels strong!” Another pastor said that his grown son has been drinking a lot of alcohol and can not keep a job. That is the burden that he shared with his colleague and brought to the cross. That night he called his son and the son said that he is giving up drinking and committing his life to Christ and wanted his father to help hold him accountable. A woman pastor shared that she took in a boy who is an orphan to care for in her home, but she struggled because he was always disobedient and rebellious. After the teaching on the importance of showing love in our families, she went to the boy and asked for forgiveness for being angry at him and mistreating him. He then asked her forgiveness for not obeying or helping in the house. The following morning the boy was the first one up and mobilized the other youth in the household to work in the garden.

I celebrate the ways that God brought together this opportunity for the spiritual leaders in Maridi to be refreshed and ministered to. The vision and motivation of the Bishop and the diocese, the resources and organization from MAF, the facilitation team who came together, and the commitment and openness of all of the participants all brought together through the Holy Spirit made for a really significant time. Please pray that God continues the work of healing in Maridi as these pastors return to their homes and churches.

The lush green trees and farms of Maridi, seen from the air

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

Healing Visit to Akobo

 On our drive from the airport to our guest house in Akobo, we saw a busy and colorful market with a mix of goods from Ethiopia, Sudan, and other places. We were told that in the wet season the main roads of the town are barely passable due to the thick clay-mud that forms. Now that dry season had arrived, the clay hardened into firm ‘rocks’ with big cracks in between, so that you always had to watch where you walked. In parts of the town, the road was lined by big trees that gave shade over the road. My colleague lamented that those who planted the trees decades ago did not plant fruit trees that would produce something useful for the people. The town of Akobo is spread along the bank of a river which has many tributaries coming off it. Many of the other nearby villages are also along the rivers, so water is a common mode of transport.

The main road through Akobo, lined with trees

kids playing and washing in the river

Our workshop was to start on December 1. But on that morning as we prepared to start, we learned that each year the churches in town hold a march and combined worship service to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season. At six in the morning we heard the drums and singing as people marched, and we found our way to the church by following the sound of singing. We started our workshop just as their service was ending, setting up in the shade of a big tree next to the church building.

The first day of the workshop. We were grateful for a big tree!

We moved the chairs around as the shade moved through the day. :)

During introductions at the beginning of the workshop, we learned that participants came from the four different ‘payams’ (districts) of Akobo, and a diverse representation of chiefs and members of local government, church leaders and members, men and women, older people and youth. We were told that the primary conflict in Akobo is between clans based in the four different payams, so we were happy that people came from all the regions, even if some had to travel by canoe or cross rivers to get there. We discussed the overall purpose of the workshop and the expectations that people had. There are many humanitarian organizations as well as the United Nations working in South Sudan, even in remote corners like Akobo, so a workshop is a common occurrence, particularly for leaders. This meant expectations were high, including things like receiving a t-shirt, sitting allowance (to compensate for the work they were missing), and even requests for things like raincoats and tarps. It was a difficult conversation and reality check for our team and also for all the participants; we all came to an understanding about what we could provide and why we were not meeting all of their expectations.

We were given a ‘security briefing’ when we checked in with the humanitarian organization that was giving us lodging. “The security situation is relatively stable right now,” the staff person said, “so if you hear gunshots it is probably either a celebration or a revenge killing.” On our third day, we heard the gunshots late at night, and learned the following morning that someone had been killed in a revenge attack between the clans in two different payams. It was the final day of our workshop, and we wondered how our participants were affected by the killing and whether they would be able to come. We were pleasantly surprised to see almost all of the participants made it that day, which showed the value that they placed on the workshop and their commitment to promote peace.

Doing a drama about our identity in the
holy nation that God calls us to (1 Peter 2:9)

On the second day of the training, we were talking about wounds in our hearts. One older man raised is hand and said “since you’ve been digging at my wound for the last two days, I have to speak it out. I had a conflict once, and one of the men here was the judge of the local court over my case. He did not give me my right in the case, but instead gave favor to one of his relatives. I have been angry with him ever since. But now I forgive him. I don’t hold it against him anymore.” He stood up and reached over to the man he had referred to, who also stood up and they shook hands warmly, both smiling.

Pastor John Lam from Akobo teaches about the church.

The man in the front row (second from right) is the one

who stood up to forgive another participant.

We heard several testimonies on the third morning of the workshop of how God was working in people’s lives. One woman said “All of these teachings were about me. I think they came to Akobo just for me, because this is what I needed to hear.” She then described how she had been abused by her husband and finally separated from him when he continued to mistreat her and her children and did nothing to help or provide for them. She has struggled with bitterness and anger against him. She said that she now forgives him and feels free in her heart, although she will not return to her husband. She even said that if she were able she would call her husband on the phone right there to prove to us that she has forgiven him.

A woman sharing her testimony on the second day

Participants put their papers with their pain writtenon it
in a basket at the cross, sybmolizing giving it over to Jesus

We conducted the workshop in Nuer, since that is the common language in Akobo. We always like to have a diverse teaching team, so we had two Nuer from different regions, a Dinka woman, and me. And because Mama Sarah (the Dinka) has a remarkable gift for languages and heart for people, she was able to teach in Nuer. This made discussion and sharing much easier when we did not have to translate very often. One of the SSPEC pastors in Akobo, Rev. John Lam, was trained to facilitate the workshop in March of this year. He coordinated all the logistics in advance of our coming, including inviting participants, and also taught one of the sessions.  We were very grateful to have someone local who had experienced the workshop and knew what to expect.

Our team of facilitators who came from Juba

Near the end of the workshop is the ‘Standing in the Gap’ session about corporate repentance. When the opportunity was given for people to repent, Mama Sarah was the first one to confess the ways that her people, the Dinka, had hurt the people of Akobo. A woman came up in response to Mama Sarah’s confession and shared that some of her relatives had been killed by Dinka people and she had been filled with anger and hurt towards them. But now she felt able to forgive and warmly expressed her forgiveness and thanks to Mama Sarah. Others also shared how significant it was to hear her acknowledge how they had been hurt and expressed forgiveness. Nyakuma, who was facilitating the session, then invited me to come and confess the wrongs done by my British and European ancestors that has harmed those in Akobo. I named a few of the more significant ways that those in Europe and America have caused harm in South Sudan, particularly coming with an attitude of superiority and taking the freedom to exploit the people and the natural resources. As I was sharing, the participants started clapping – I think they were surprised and pleased to hear someone acknowledge how our actions from the West had contributed to their suffering.

A man responds to Mama Sarah's confession with forgiveness

We capped off the workshop with a celebration of being God's Holy Nation, where all people are included and valued. The people from each payam stood up in turn and the rest of us affirmed the good qualities and talents from that community. Then we blessed them and spoke out the good things we wished for them before they shared a dance or song from their community. It was so beautiful to see how eager people were to affirm the other groups and the collective joy as we celebrated each others' cultures. Knowing the backdrop of the pain and conflict that these participants carry, to experience the joy of celebration together was a real gift and I pray that it gave them as much hope as it did for me.

Giving people crowns to symbolize that each of us a citizen of God's Holy Nation

Affirming each community by sharing the things we appreciate about them

Participants who live in the town of Akobo sing a song celebrating their town

Equipping for healing in Rwanda

This month I was in Rwanda for two big events related to the Healing Hearts, Transforming Nations (HHTN) workshop that we have been doing in South Sudan. First, I served on the facilitation team of the International School of Reconciliation (ISOR), training new facilitators for this workshop who came from nine different countries. It was an intense time of learning and sharing together as we faced the wounds within us and within our countries. Nearly 10 delegates came from Ethiopia, where war is devastating the country and the social fabric. Four South Sudanese pastors came from northern Uganda, where they live in refugee camps after fleeing their homes in South Sudan during the crisis of 2016.

All participants, facilitators, and staff at the graduation

of the International School of Reconciliation

With a couple of the women from South Sudan at the graduation

At the end of the training, the new facilitators conduct HHTN workshops in groups in the community. I helped to coach one group as they prepared to teach, including learning dramas and figuring out how to make the teaching interactive and personal. Teaching in a workshop in a way that touches the heart and not just the head is not easy! Add to that the language challenge – most of our new facilitators were not Rwandan, so they spoke in English which was translated into Kinyarwanda. But they also do not speak English as their first language, so they are having to teach in a language that is not their most comfortable language. For some, this meant laboriously writing out what they wanted to say to make sure they would be clear. I was humbled and blessed by the hard work and caring hearts that each person in my group demonstrated. A few of them even incorporated testimonies of their own pain into their teaching which I know is difficult, but it served to open up the hearts of participants and give them hope for healing in they heard how God can bring healing.

A drama illustrates the challenge of bringing our pain to God

A Celebration of the Holy Nation at the end of the workshop

The second big event was a forum for practitioners who are using this workshop in healing and reconciliation ministries in this region of East Africa. It was a rich and meaningful time together, and I got to meet some faithful heroes that I have heard about for years. One group serves in Eastern Congo, visiting remote villages and promoting healing in places that have been repeatedly terrorized by militia. Four of us from South Sudan attended the forum, and it was inspiring to learn from others and see that ours is not the only country with challenges of instability and conflict! 

Participants at the forum

One of the central parts of the HHTN workshop is the session on the cross, where we take our pain to Jesus as the pain-bearer (Isaiah 53:4). During the forum, there was a chance for all of us who regularly conduct the cross workshop for others to participate in it ourselves, sharing our pain and giving it over to Jesus. As we stood together around the cross, several people shared of deep pain that weighed them down and we prayed together for freedom and healing. I was grateful for this safe space where all of us who are pour out for lives for others could share our own pain and find love and support.

each of us nails our pain to the cross

Our group from South Sudan, along with colleague George DeVyst,
a missionary who serves the people of Ukraine

A 'Unity football game' in the community

I give thanks for this gift of connection, inspiration, and equipping with others in this ministry. Please pray with us that God continues to use us as agents of healing and reconciliation in South Sudan, and brings the transformation and wholeness that only God can bring.

Healing and Forgiveness in Malakal

 Malakal is a large city in the Upper Nile region of South Sudan, where the Presbyterian Church has had its base for the last one hundred years. We have been told that during the conflict in 2013 and 2016, Malakal changed hands at least five times as militia groups fought for control of the region. The city was destroyed, and most people fled their homes. One friend has described how he hid in the ceiling of his house during that time until he and his family fled to a refugee camp. The soldiers who occupied the area moved into his house, and he cannot return. Until now, nearly 35,000 live in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp near Malakal. Many of them have not stepped foot outside of the camp for years, afraid of being attacked by an opposing tribe.

A map of South Sudan that shoes Malakal in the northeast

When SSPEC leaders considered the best place for our reconciliation team to do a Healing Wounds Transforming Communities (HHTC) workshop, Malakal was a priority. Finally, a couple of weeks ago, our team was able to go to Malakal for the workshop. The workshop was done inside the IDP camp and included people from the Nuer and Shilluk tribes. There was a diverse group of men, women, and youth at the workshop, and three languages were used to make sure that everyone understood what was being taught. There is one united church inside the camp that worships in the Nuer language, comprised of members from seven different denominations. We are grateful for that tangible expression of unity, and glad that people from different backgrounds could all participate.

The facilitation team and the hosting pastors

William Tut is an experienced pastor, and was just trained a few months ago to facilitate this HHTC workshop. This was his first opportunity to serve as a facilitator in South Sudan. He reflected afterwards that he has realized that the church is the only thing that can really bring change in the country, and this workshop is a significant way of empowering the church in that role. The team found that many people have been significantly traumatized by the war that they lived through and by ongoing tensions and suffering. 

The Sunday worship service in Malakal

The day after the 'cross workshop' session where people are invited to take their pain to the cross, a few women shared that they felt physical healing and relief as well as emotional freedom. One woman said that she had gone to see doctors and had several tests done because she felt so much pain in her body, but they could not find any specific disease. Finally, during this workshop, she felt healed. We know that trauma affects us holistically, and often leads to physical pain or sickness. We praise God for this bringing holistic healing, and trust that their healing journey will continue.

The pastor confesses the wrongs done
against people living in the camp

The confession time during the Standing in the Gap session was also very meaningful. One pastor from the Shilluk tribe confessed on behalf of all who had committed atrocities towards those who live in the camp. People were moved by his humility and apology, and several were crying as they came to offer forgiveness. Another woman confessed the prejudice and fear she has had of the Anywaa people. When she was a child, her community experienced a conflict with the Anywaa people. After that, her family told her that Anywaa people would change into crocodiles or snakes at night in order to kill her people. She thought of Anywaa people only as killers. She said that now she has released those thoughts and can see Anwyaa as people like others. Omot, one of the facilitators and part of the Anwyaa people group, forgave her and thanked her for her confession.

A joyful celebration of the Holy Nation at the end of the workshop

We praise God for this opportunity to witness to God's love and power to heal after tragic pain. We pray that the healing journey continues in Malakal. Our team is doing another workshop this week in the city of Bor, and we welcome your prayers! 

The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. But I have come
that they might have life, and have it to the full.  John 10:10

From pain to forgiveness to celebration

 I could hear the excitement in Nyakuma’s voice as she shared over the phone about the workshop. “The time of repentance during Standing in the Gap was really powerful!” she said. Standing in the Gap is when people are invited to confess wrongs done by their people that harmed people of another group who are represented in the workshop. A man who comes from the Nuer tribe in Akobo confessed before the group the ways that people of the Anywaa tribe had been mistreated and attacked in his region. The Anywaa participants in the workshop were moved and grateful for his confession and were able to offer forgiveness.

Standing in the gap - a confession of wrongs done in Akobo

Another session talks about wounds we might receive in our families from a failure to communicate love. One man shared how his father had falsely accused him of something and then had been mistreating other members of the family in anger of the event. This man shared that he was finally able to forgive his father for this mistreatment and feel free of the bitterness against him.

James shares his testimony of forgiveness

The South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SSPEC) had invited a few members from several different congregations in Juba. Even though it was a small group, they represented a diversity of tribes and ages, male and female. The diversity meant they could meaningfully hear pain experienced by different groups and appreciate different perspectives. Nyakuma described the joy that people felt during the “Celebration of the Holy Nation” at the end of the workshop. “We could not contain ourselves! Everyone started dancing and singing,” she said as she laughed. She was proud of how beautifully she had set up the snacks and drinks for that celebration, even spelling out the word “LOVE” with the soda bottles.

Nyakuma with the tables she prepared for the celebration

Each tribe demonstrates their style of dancing
during the Celebration of the Holy Nation

Nyakuma joyfully shared about the feedback that they received at the end. One person was there who comes from the Nuba Mountains region. He said that his people desperately need this workshop to help them find healing. Some other participants said that if the workshop could be given to some of the leaders in the government, the situation in South Sudan would improve. “Everyone needs this workshop,” she said, excited.

People take their pain (symbolized by papers with their source

of pain or hurt written on them) and nail it to the cross

I was especially grateful for this workshop because it was an opportunity for a few people who were trained last year at the School of Reconciliation in Rwanda to participate in the teaching and facilitation. Nyakuma affirmed that they did a great job, and we are excited to have more people in the ‘pool’ of people who can facilitate so that more workshops can happen.

On a separate but related note, we pray for God’s protection on people in South Sudan from an increase of cases of Covid-19. Large gatherings and travel are not possible yet, but we look forward to continuing this significant reconciliation work soon.

The Thief Workshop

Each group presented their list of what they felt had been lost. I knew that each item on the list was significant, representing pain and suffering that was currently being experienced. We discussed which losses were common across all the groups. Some of the top items were human lives, truth, faith, respect, properties/land, peace, culture, and dignity. As he explained why ‘lives’ had been included on his group’s list of losses, one young man said with feeling, “all my brothers have been killed. I alone remain.” A woman reflected that one of the impacts of all the people killed is that people fear humans now more than animals.

The lists from each group of the things they have lost

This particular session of the Healing Hearts Transforming Nations workshop we call “the Thief workshop”, because we discuss the material or intangible things that have been lost or stolen from our communities. The first part of John 10:10 “The thief comes only to kill, steal, and destroy” shows us Satan’s active attempts to destroy the peace and life that God created and intended for us. Recognizing our losses and hearing the losses of others helps us to see that all of us have suffered and have a common enemy. Too often, we choose not to hear the pain of another group, preferring the illusion that I or my group has suffered the most.

At this workshop in Rumbek, I heard about the impact of the war and attacks by Arabs in the 80’s. Killings and attacks between different villages continue to happen, partly because of the very strong culture of revenge. I heard about children growing up in the cattle camp because their parents could not send them to school, who later join in cattle-raiding and attacks on communities. I talked to fathers who feel it is unsafe for them to stay at home with their families because people will come hunting for them. While Rumbek has been a center for education in its region and has produced some of the top leaders in South Sudan, the area continues to struggle with inter-communal attacks and insecurity.

Groups discussing what their communities had lost

During this session of the workshop, I could feel the somber mood and the weight of the words as people shared the impact of these losses in their communities. I got goose bumps, realizing that this was sacred space of being able to share openly the struggles that they saw or experienced. We discussed how these losses can lead to believing lies about ourselves, others, and God. We grieved together over the brokenness of families and communities.

We end the session by discussing the second part of John 10:10, “But I have come that you might have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus came, suffered, was killed, and rose again. Jesus, victorious over death, sin, and Satan, came to show us His Kingdom, marked by sacrificial love rather than greed and pursuit of power. Our victorious God, who loves us and sees us, is our hope for healing and restoration from what has been lost. After this session, a few women came up to me, clasped my hand and appeared to be expressing their thanks for this somber but meaningful discussion. I couldn’t understand their words in Dinka, but I know that God does, and that we can connect and lament together even across the language gap.

Healing workshop for women in Juba

Last week we landed in Juba Tuesday evening after two days of travel from a conference in South Africa. Wednesday morning I left early to go find St. Thomas parish of the Episcopal church, where my friend Lucia was organizing a Healing Hearts, Transforming Nations (HHTN) workshop for women. It was the third and final day of the workshop, and I regretted that I had not been able to be there for the first two days, to be present for discussions about divisions and pain they had experienced.

Lucia started on Wednesday morning by inviting people to share testimonies of what they felt or how they saw God working as they gave their pain over to Jesus the previous day during the cross workshop. One woman described the feeling of lightness and freedom she felt after giving over her pain and burdens to Jesus, knowing that he welcomes and carries them (Isaiah 53:4). Another woman, Mama Doruca, shared that the pain she had written on her paper, prayed over, and nailed to the cross was the sickness of her son. He had been sick for several days, and she was hesitant even to leave him the previous day to attend the workshop. But when she returned home in the evening, he was healed! A third woman stood up to give thanks to God because she had been sick for nearly two months, often experiencing dizziness and falling down. She had been chosen by her church to attend the workshop, and she really wanted to attend despite the challenge of her sickness. Another woman from her church was assigned to accompany her and help her in the event of an episode of the sickness. She attended the first day, but was hesitant to eat lunch for fear of getting sick. She attended the second day, and was able to eat without any feeling of sickness. Now she was praising God for giving her strength to experience the workshop and protecting her from this sickness for the whole three days. We praise God that they saw God at work bringing physical healing – often a side-effect of emotional healing.

I taught that morning about giving and asking for forgiveness, and then Lucia facilitated a session on Standing in the Gap, or corporate repentance. Participants were eager to share testimonies of forgiveness, but seemed reluctant to ask for forgiveness for wrongs done by their own people. Lucia invited me to come and confess to demonstrate the principle that she had tried to explain. I knelt on the ground, and began to describe some of the ways that my ancestors, Europeans, British, and Americans had exploited them and their land through colonialism, slavery, corporations taking resources, etc. As I spoke out some of the injustices committed against them, I grieved as I saw their faces acknowledging the truth and the pain that it had caused. One woman, as representative for the group, came forward, knelt on the ground with me, and offered forgiveness as she hugged me. It felt like a meaningful moment of honesty, acknowledging our connected brokenness.

The final session is the Celebration of the Holy Nation. The women took seats in a large circle and each put on a paper crown, symbolizing their participation in the Holy Nation, looking forward to the banquet of the Lamb, together with members of all tribes and nations. Members of specific tribes were called forward, and the rest of the group spoke out some aspects of their culture or talents that everyone admired. “They really respect their women.” or “They are loyal and will never betray one of their group, even if you are a guest.” or “they make the best peanut sauce!” were some of the descriptions. They asked me to stand, representing Americans and Westerners. “They are the reason we have cars and buses in South Sudan!”, or “They taught us how to read”, or “they are generous, and give help to others in need” were a few responses. But the one that I heard multiple times was “They helped us to believe in Jesus. They brought us the good news of the Gospel.” This felt like redemption – after acknowledging the pain that my culture has caused in South Sudan, I rejoice to also see the fruit of the good, from many people with hearts of sacrificial love.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 

1 Peter 2:9

New update video!

Below is a new update video, that we hope will give you a small taste of how we see God at work in South Sudan. We appreciate very much your partnership in this ministry!

Please let us know if you have any questions or comments - we are happy to share more if you have specific questions.

A Coalition of Hope

For the last year, several of us who were trained last year in Rwanda to conduct healing and reconciliation workshops have been meeting together, trying to find ways to work together. We come from different churches and organizations, and our vision has been to promote this work within our churches, but also to cooperate and promote an ecumenical effort. But it has proved to be harder than we anticipated. We are an informal group of people with a common passion; we want to be faithful to work within the priorities and interests of our own churches, but we also want this message to reach a wider audience and promote cooperation. But when we approach the council of churches or other organizations to support our ecumenical efforts, we struggle to describe who we are and we don’t have credibility as a ‘known entity’. The church partner I work with, the South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church, has been active in promoting this work of reconciliation, and we have organized a few workshops this year. But we know that long term the work will have more impact and reach more people if we collaborate with others than if we try to ‘go it alone’.

Last week our loosely connected group came together for two days, facilitated by Joseph Nyamutera from Rwanda and Allan Waihumbu from Kenya, both having experience in this ministry of reconciliation and experience promoting it at the grass-roots level. We reviewed with them the current situation in South Sudan and the factors that have contributed to division and conflict in specific regions. Together we discussed a vision for the future, and what our role could be in promoting healing and peace. We explored what exactly we are as a group, and what structure we could work with. Are we a network? Are we an organization? We finally settled on ‘coalition’, and hope that describes our desire to be distinct parts/groups who come together to work as one united group.

We worked together on a vision statement, although that task will take some more time to nail down. And we dreamed together about what we want to see happen in South Sudan – that children could grow up in a safe environment, that people would be healed from their trauma, that displaced people could return home, and that churches would faithfully disciple people to follow Jesus’ example of breaking down barriers. We are excited, but it also feels a little intimidating to me. Please pray for us! It is never easy forming something new, while also trying to work with existing structures and processes. We know that God wants to bring healing and renewal to South Sudan, and trust that He will guide us in this process.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Knowing God as a Loving Parent

I looked over and realized that the participants were listening intently, leaning forward and thoughtful as Omot taught about what might block us from experiencing God’s love as a ‘heavenly father/mother’. I couldn’t understand what was being said in the Anywaa language, but I could see that people were being touched. Later, I learned that Omot, who grew up in the town of Pochalla where we were currently sitting, was sharing his own story. As is typical in the Anywaa culture, his father did not show affection to his children. He gave orders rather than listening, and he expected results. It was not until Omot attended a training in Rwanda called Healing Hearts, Transforming Nations (HHTN) that he realized how this lack of love from his father had affected him, and he was able to experience God’s unconditional love in a deeper way.

Omot teaching at the workshop in Pochalla

Now, we were in Pochalla, seated in a shady clearing and conducting the same workshop we had experienced in Rwanda last year. After Omot shared his testimony, he asked participants whether there were things they lacked from their earthly parents. God, the only one who can love us perfectly and unconditionally, wants to make up for those things that we lacked and heal those wounds. After a time of silent reflection and prayer, Omot invited people who felt they had lacked something or been wounded by their father or mother to come forward and receive a hug from a man or woman standing at the front, to represent God’s embrace and offer healing and acknowledgement of those wounds from the past. This is not easy – facing pain of the past and seeking to forgive and heal. But many did, and would return to their seats to cry, to pray, to sing with the music in the background. It was truly sacred space, where people had opened themselves up to God and to each other.

Participants write down things that they lacked from their parents

The following morning, we asked participants what they had experienced during that time. Mary was the first to offer her story. When she was two years old, her mother died in childbirth. Her father demanded the return of the dowry from his wife’s family, because he thought that Mary and the new baby would not survive without their mother. Mary was raised by her mother’s family, but always felt resented. When her younger brother grew up, their father agreed to help with his dowry, but communicated such a negative message to his son at his wedding that Mary’s brother later committed suicide. Mary felt alone and rejected, and wanted to curse her father’s family. She was a Christian, and had her own children, but still felt weighed down by the burden of rejection. During the session on the father’s heart, she recognized the source of this rejection, and finally felt able to forgive and be released from the burden.

Mary acts in a drama about the giving our pain and
burdens to Jesus, who bore it on the cross (Is. 53:4)

During the teaching, Omot emphasized the responsibility of parents to show love and affection to their children. He encouraged participants, most of whom were parents, to go home and tell their children that they loved them. The testimonies of how this went were both humorous and moving! One woman called her son to come from where he was playing, but he was afraid to come, because he was afraid his mother wanted to beat him. Another woman shared that she had a daughter who was often stubborn, but she was able to affirm her daughter for her good qualities and say that she loved her. We hope that this ‘counter-cultural’ way of verbally communicating love to children will continue and spread in Pochalla, helping children to know they are valued and loved.

worship at the end of the first day of the workshop

That was just the first day of this workshop focused on healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation. We continued to see God work over our three days together, and praise God for the ways He is bringing healing to people around Pochalla. Thank you to many of you who prayed for this workshop – truly, we were dependent on God and know that He heard your prayers. We will share more in our newsletter, but wanted to give you a brief taste of the impact of this significant workshop.
We are receiving many requests for these workshops that help people to experience healing from trauma, forgiveness, and a path to reconciliation that is based on Christ’s work on the cross. Transport in South Sudan out to remote regions is expensive, but we know that there is great need in those places. If you would like to support this.ministry, you can do so at the following link. Designate your gift for “reconciliation workshops”. Link to give through Presbyterian World Mission: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/donate/e052148/